Speed-regulator for automobiles.



l. E. HENRY.A SPEED REGULATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.'v

APPLmMmNy FILED FEB. 21. 1917.

1,239,391. Patentedsept. 4,1917.

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N lif- INVENTOR Wynia E. Hen@ ATToRN EY n sans' rnrnnr i IItWIN E. HENRY, OF. NEW RINGGOLD, PENNSYLVANIA.

'SPEED-REGULATOR FOR AUTOMOBILIES.A

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Sepai', Zigi t.

Application led February 21, 1917. Serial No. 150,121.

" gine; andthe object of the invention is to combine with such a regulator for the speed l ofthe engine, means for automatically applying the brakes by an air-brake mechanism in case the retarding or checking of the speed of the engine doesnotsuihciently reduce the speed of progress of vthe automo- A `further Objectis bile or motor vehicle. to provide means whereby these-two mechanisms may be controlled manually, or rather by `treadl'es or pedals within reach of the operator. Other objects will appear in the following specification, v reference being had to the drawings wherein Figure 1 is -a-diagrammatic view lof the entire invention, being in elevation ywith parts in section.

Figs. `2, 3 and 4 are scribed hereinafter,

Fig. 5 is a detail of the safety valve, land Fig. '6 isa detail ofthe connection between'the throttle' and main levers.

. Broadly speaking, this invention comprises three main elements which are separately described below, viz: mechanism for details of valves deautomatically controlling the speed of the engine by a centrifugal governor, mechanism'connected with the same governor for automatically applying the brakes toretard the speed of the automobile, and connections with the several features of these mechanisms wherebythey may be operated by the foot. I will say at starting that many of the details of these mechanisms which are j shown collectively in diagram in Fig. 1 and individually in the remaining views, are of ordinary or well known construction and not minutely described herein becausend claim is made to them individually. My

invention consists in the generalcoinbination of the variousdetails makingl up these three principal features. It is my purpose to provide means whereby, wh`en-the engine attains. excessive speed thesupplys'of gas to comprises a centrifugal Abureter to the intake ,grammat1cally,

" ually cutting tained by means itwill be automatically out down bya cen-` trifugal speed governor which of course can beset to act where desired, and therefore the driver can set it so as to keep within the legal speed li-mit if he wishes. It may Veo' be, however, that in descending a hill or bei' fore the throttle is actuatedby the governor, his machine has attained 'a momentum which continues after the engine is throttled down, and therefore under' such conditions rny invention contemplates the appli` cation of the brakes-so as to retard the proglevers so that he can cut them out or applyv them as he wishes.- l

The engi/ne @gamma-This mechanism governor G, a main lever M .connected therewith, and a throttle lever T which may be on the carbureter -or on the gas supply pipe leading from the carmanifold of the engine. The governor G is of the ordinary type, mounted on an upright aXis l and connected by gearing 2 with some rotating shaft of the engine, 4as the cam shaft, and when the speed of this shaft increases a sleeve 3 rises on theaXis and swings a 'rock lever 4 on its pivot 5. The remote end of this rock lever is connected -by a bell crank lever Gwith a link 7 which is pivoted to the upper end of a main lever M as shown in is slotted as at 9 so motion for a purpose lever by a link 8 which as to permit some lost yet to appear. 'It is hardly necessary ,to`

show the throttle lever, except perhaps diabut it is clear that when the governor G attains an excessively high speed the lever 4 will rock on its pivot and the bell crank lever 6 will draw on the linkto-swing the main lever to the left,`l and, through the slotted link 8, this will turn the throttle lever it' off entirely.

Automatic brake m.eciansm.-The brakes or brake bands B are applied by air-brake mechanism A controlled by valves V in an air supply pipe leading from a tank or reservoir R, and pressurein the latter is maina clutch C with some moving part of the and cut down the gas-event of a pump P connected by l plied with air pump as here shown is of the'reciprocating type, its piston 12 .being connected with the crank on a shaft 13 whereon is splined a clutch element 14 engaging with another clutch element l5 which l'is' geared to and constantly rotated by some moving shaft of the engine. The movable clutch element 14 is connected with a rock lever 16 from which a rod 17 leads to the spring-pressed piston struction,

' formed a hole 30, and

18 of a safety or escape valve 'E mounted on the tank R. When the pressure in the latter reaches anfexcessive height, it moves said piston 18' and flows out the opening 19, and the movement ofthe piston rocks the lever 16 and slides thel clutch element 14 so as to disengage it from .the clutch 15, thus stopping thev motion of the pump and checking the feed of air to thetank.

From the tank R an air line or pipe 20 leads through the valves V to the air-brake mechanism A. The latter is herein shown as consisting of a cylinder 21 containing a piston 22 whose stein 23 is connected with a double crank shaft 24, and the other crank of said shaft is connected by a rod 25 with the brake 'beam' which carries the brake bands B, or with a forkedor branched rod whose arms are led to said bands in a usual manner. Therefore when air is allowed to flowl through the line 20, the piston 22 moves within the cylinder. and the rod 25 draws on 'and .applies the brakes.

rIhe vvalves'V are of rather peculiar conbest illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. line 2O near the cylinder 21 is overlying the same is av flap valve or pad 31, shown as carried by InV the air a plate which is curved to conform to the curvature of the pipel 20. From said plate rise ears 32, to which at 33 is pivoted one arm of a bell crank `lever 34, its angle being pivotally mounted at 35' on a clip 36 which embraces the pipe 20. To the other arm of 'said bell crank lever is pivotally connected a rod 37, the rod being slotted at 38 at its pointof connection as seen in pose of this slot will yet appear; this rod is drawn on to swing lever onits pivot 35, it will be-obvious that the pad 31 will 'be raised olf the hole 30 and Fig. 2, and the pur.-

When

`In the construction illustrated, a

through a suitable check valve 11, and the the bell crank air within. the pipe 20 WilleScape.. At the same time the other valve will be closed, as described in the 4following paragraph, but the escape of air from' the pipe 2() will let it out of the cylinder 21 and permit the piston to move to a position to release the brakes as will be clearly understood.

, The valve above described is'obviously for the escape of air, and in order that air within thetank or reservoir R mayv not flow to waste4 when said valve is opened, I make use of another valvev best seen :in Fig. 3 and which I will call the control valve. The casing 40 of this valve is let intothe air line 20 at ,a point preferably back of the escape valve as seen in Fig. 1, and the valveplate is intended toturn from' its closed position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 to its open posi tion shown in Y dotted lines therein. The plate 41 has a hub 42 through which passes a shaft 43 which is cut away on one side as seen at 44, and a pin or set screw 45 through the hub bears against the flat face where this shaft is cut away. The set screw is so located as to permit a certain lost motion between the shaft and hub, fo-r a purpose yet to appear. lOn one exterior end of said shaft' is mounted 'a crank 46 pivotally connected at 47 to Ta link 48 whose other end is pivoted to the main lever M, and within the length of this link is preferably disposed a turn buckle 49 forlengthening and shortenorder that he may interrupt the automatic action of these mechanisms or that hemay ap- Ply flow l mechanism A, I `make use lof the following devices: The letter a indicates the acceleratorpedal, illustrated in Fig. 1 in diagram' only, and this pedal is connected by a Arod 50 the brakes at will by permitting air to from the reservoir R to the air-brake' with the main lever M. When thedriver pushes on the pedal and draws on the rod 50, it is obvious that he willv hold this lever to the right, against its movement to the left under the impulse of the governor G. The letter t indicates diagrammatically the tlirotvtle lever, usually adjacent the steering wheel of an automobile. 51 is a rod or connection leading from this lever to a' link which is attached to the main lever and preferably slotted as shown. The lslot permits the ordinary actions of said main llever under the impulse of the governor G as above de- .-scribed, but @should the driver push the throttle .lever ato its extreme, ,the connections I 51 fand y52 will hold `said 4:main lever to ".the

ightagains't =the action of the gonernor G. .The letter ibfdesignates apedallforjthebrakes, 1.a frod 53 vleading V*from this .pedal to the "valves, VJand preferably attached to lthe for-:ank

46 ,on the control valve 1.at the same point 47 to' 'which the 'flink 48 and `-rod 37 are ,pivot-ed. When the operator ,presses :on @the .brake y@Nadal 6, he pushesfon A'themed '53 `'and factuates the valves the same as theylwould .be `actu- :ated by the rn'ro'venrentfoi'l ithe main lever M under fthe 'impulse fo'f 1[the gover- 'nor G; therefore Thefmay apply the brakes 4min advance "olithis application .by the automatic .mechanism Some 4`orlall :of these manual connectionssmaybefernployed,fandififtheyare `usedtheyfmay take uthe place of the/ordinary connections between the :several levers :and lthe parts z to ,be actuated thereby.

the operationeel Sthis inven'tion when fit A:is ,properly lconnected `.up with 'the `autorno- `bile, Aexcessive fspeedof the engine Ainoreases the. speed `of vthe vgovernon-through fthe'ige'a'r--- .ing- .connection '2, and fthe `governor asu/ings `the main lever "M tothe ile'ft. According as l.the :slot`19 `fis ndfjusted itc connect ithe flink t8 with said'lever, `when l to acertain fdegreethethrottleT is thrown vagainst theaction of `itsspring, L'and Sthe iilow c of gas is `'irstfshut down iand subsequently valves Cshut o'ffenti'rely. 'Ivlrispf course causes Silbe ,engine `torun slower Aandslower by reason of `fits .own :motive power, ibut the momentum ofthe'fma'chine maygyet to an extent keep up A.the speed .of the engine, especially if the machine should havebeenvgoingquite rapidly .orisnoiv descending ia liill. The annove- 1nent olf thernaini'lever Mfpushesfon the lilik 4:8, :and when the inner end of the slot 48 vin ,the lower Lend thereof vcornes Lup .against the pivot pin'', the linksw'ings theicran'l 4'6:and simultaneously the rod 53,7 `:svs'rlinjgs lthe bell .crank lever 34.. The slot 38 in the `.eX- aztremity offthe `.rod 317 iforiadjrlustment purposes, because it is gobvious that the two must .act Lsilnu'ltaneously gand op- Viner which will lhe clear.

sset fon :the iiia'tiface 44 .of .the shaft 43, fthe turning fo'f the rcrank 6 -Wlilll swing the ,-pla'te 41 Within the control valve. Thereforewhen the :link .4.8-3-finally .moves the (crank 4&6, ithe `flatter @loses ithe :escape `valve :and `opens zthe control :valve "The paid 31m of the :escape vval-ve drops rover :the ho'lej`3`0 .so as to pre- `vent ,the zescape Aof .air irorn ,the pipe 20, ,and .thc plate 4:1 itunns nviitllin tits v:.casint'; '40 Sto .aallloav air to v,pass `t rough the Pipe linto the fcylinder 2l. AlZVhen the Apiston in the latter is'xrnoved, the brakes :are applied an- Birnespectiueo the :automatic npplicaftion fof dthe "brakes, the .slot

48" in the lower 'end sof xthe link allows their the latter has movednected to operate pedal f.,'.because san impulse on the rod which moves 'the pivot point 47 'to `the left, causessaid .pivotto move downward in the ,slot/.458" `-yvli-t'hout drawing "on the link i8 .and swinging 'the main lever ,as above de scribed. 'The spring behind the Acran-k lf3 :restores it to its normal vposition which is `'closed `asseen .in Fig. .3, :and the Tod 37 sirnultaneously :opens "t ie :escape valve to joerinit vthe .escape lof air V`Wlit'hin fthe cylinder 21 :so .that fthe brakes :ane :automatically released. As the speed :of the governor Vslows down, parts are restored to their normal .position llt' Vit .should so "happen that the ioperatordoes not desire the :governor to act automatically, .he Ahas but 'Jt'o place hlis lioot on .the accelerator qgcdal a :and through the mod this holds the main 'lever M against movement `to the left, and the connection of the Imaan Sleater iwitli :the governor holds the A.governor against :action under icentriugal 'force Also lby throwing the throttle lever .t `to Iits text-renie :and .lirawving on the irod v"5l, the operator may `put the lin'k :sion wvlith the same result, aand this llink is `slottecl purposely Sso that fthe operatoiwcan ynot :by .fany .-acc'ic'lentall"movement `oli the @throttle .lever rfthrolv nism tout offac'tion Wlhat iis claimed `as `new 'isa--l l. En a `speed ,regulator for automobiles, the Vcombination with a `anaiin lever, =connec tions lbetween 'fit and 'theg'throttle za `,centrifugal governor, and connectionsibetiveen lit :and fsaid lever; 4of the bra'kes, fairibrake g mechanism Infor fc'ontrdlling ithein including 1a cylinder and piston,

source of `compressed- 'air fsupply, escape :and .control lair val-ves lin fsaid @air 'line yand connected to loperate `oppositely ,in unison, :and connections bei-- atv/.een lsaid valves :and the unain lever, afor i-theypurpose.setffolith i 2. .In :a vspeetl regulator 'lfor automobiles, ,the yc'orribination with .a v`main -flever, a een- `tri-fugal governor iconnected to `moving .it V.under excessive :speed `of the yengine, and means `whereby movement of rsad lever Lreduces't'he `en'gines speed; of brakes, ,air-libraire .mechanism .for controlling 'them including a cylinder :and piston, fan air lineleading Lto `the cylinder 'Filtern fa source of compressed :air ssupply, fescajpe `and vvcon- ;trol :air Yvalves in lsaid fair lline fand icon# uopp'o'sitely in unison, and' `'connections .between `said valves and the main llover, for the purpose sset iforth.

13: ln fa speed -ae'gulaltor Yfor aautomobiles, :the.combination'Withasurce of compressed air supply, .a cylinder, -a :piston `therein Acon- '.nectefd -With ithe "mechanism ullich it fis desired to control,l land ian :air v*line between "said `source mnd (cylinder fand having :fa hole adjacent the l'atterz; @if means *for closing. .said lhole, .a control valve Within .said

552 under tenthe :automatic `mechathe lever lfor air Ply,

line between said hole and the source of air; supply, connections between the valve stem and the means the latter is closed when the valve is opened, and vice versa, and means for moving said connections, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a speed regulator for automobiles,

the combination with a source of compressed air supply,` ay cylinder, a piston. therein connected with the mechanism which it is desir-edito control, and an air line between said source and cylinder and having a hole adjacent the latter; of a pad over: lying said hole, a bellv crank lever pivoted at its angle and having one arm connected with said pad, a control valve in the air line between said hole and the source of air supa crank on the shaft of said Valve, a link connecting the crank with theother arm of said bell crank lever, and means for moving said links to close the padV and open the valve, and vice versa, for the purpose set forth. i

5. In a speed regulator' Jor automobiles, the combination with a source of compressed airsupply, a cylinder, a piston therein connected with the mechanism which it is desired to cont-rol, and an air line between said source and cylinder and having ahole adjacent the latter; of a pad overlying said hole, a bell cra-nk lever'pivoted at its angle and having onearm connected with said pad, a control valve in the air line between for closing the holeI whereby' said hole and the source of air supply, a. crank on the shaft of said valve, alink connecting said crank with the other arm of said bell crank lever, a second link having -a slotted extremity movably mounted on the pivot between the rst link and the crank, means for moving the second link when the automobile attains excessive speed, and independent means forl moving said pivotal ip'oint vat the will of thel driver.

G. I`n a speed regulator for automobiles, the combination with airbrake mechanism including a cylinder and a piston, connections'between the latter and the brake bands,

a source of compressed air supply, and an air line leading from the source of the cylinder and having an escape opening adjacent the latter; of .a valve for closing said openbetween said opening and source,.levers for actuating said valves simultaneously and oppositely, a linkpivotally connecting the lever,- a rod connecting thepivotal point of the link with the crank on the ,controlv valve and leading thence to a source of` ling, and a control valve within the air line Ien In testimony whereof I ailix my signature. i

IRWIN E. HENRY.` 

